Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

Complete lesson plans, including stories, listening, classroom activities, quiz questions and more!

The Little Ghost Who Was Afraid of the Dark

Casper the Fearless ghost inspires his friends to conquer their fears and embrace the darkness.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In the magic woods, there was a small ghost named Casper. Casper was scared of the dark even though he was a ghost. He didn’t like the night and his ghost friends called him “scaredy Casper.” They tried to help him not be afraid, but Casper still didn’t like the dark.

One night, Casper met a shining bug named Sparkle. Sparkle liked the dark and told Casper about fun things at night. Casper decided to be brave and see the dark with Sparkle. They had fun looking at stars and going to secret places in the woods. Casper started to think the dark was beautiful.

Casper became brave and his ghost friends were surprised. They asked, “How did you stop being scared?” Casper told his story to all the ghosts and said they could be brave too. The ghosts wanted to be brave like Casper and not be scared anymore.

All the ghosts went together at night to play and look for cool things in the dark. They were happy and not afraid. They said thanks to Casper for helping them. Now, they call him “brave Casper,” and they all like the night. Casper showed everyone that being brave can make scary things fun.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1magicSpecial things that can’t really happen but are fun to imagine
2ghostA friendly white thing that can float and you might see in stories
3scaredFeeling afraid of something
4nightThe time when it is dark outside, and you go to sleep
5shiningSomething that gives off light and looks bright
6braveBeing strong and not afraid
7starsTiny lights in the sky that come out when it’s dark
8secretSomething that is meant to be kept unknown to others
9surprisedWhen something happens that you didn’t think would happen
10thanksWhat you say when someone does something nice for you

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is the main character in the story?
2. What was Casper scared of?
3. Who did Casper meet in the magic woods?
4. What did Casper and Sparkle do at night?
5. How did Casper’s ghost friends feel about the dark?
6. Why did Casper’s ghost friends start to like the night?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In the magic (1)______, there was a small ghost named Casper. Casper was scared of the dark even though he was a ghost. He didn’t like the night and his ghost friends called him “scaredy Casper.” They (2)______ to help him not be afraid, but Casper still didn’t like the dark.

One night, Casper met a shining bug named Sparkle. Sparkle liked the (3)______ and told Casper about fun things at night. Casper decided to be (4)______ and see the dark with Sparkle. They had fun looking at stars and going to secret places in the woods. Casper started to think the dark was beautiful.

Casper (5)______ brave and his (6)______ friends were surprised. They asked, “How did you stop being scared?” Casper told his story to all the ghosts and said they could be brave too. The ghosts wanted to be brave like Casper and not be scared anymore.

All the ghosts went together at night to play and look for cool things in the dark. They were happy and not afraid. They said thanks to Casper for helping them. Now, they call him “brave Casper,” and they all like the night. Casper (7)______ everyone that being brave can make (8)______ things fun.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a ghost?
2. How would you feel if you were scared of the dark?
3. Do you like the night? Why or why not?
4. What do you think Casper and Sparkle did when they looked at stars?
5. How did Casper become brave?
6. Why do you think Casper’s ghost friends wanted to be brave too?
7. Do you think being brave can make scary things fun? Why or why not?
8. What cool things do you like to do at night?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. magic
2. ghost
3. scared
4. night
5. shining
6. brave
7. stars
8. secret
9. surprised
10. thanks

Meanings:
(A) What you say when someone does something nice for you
(B) Feeling afraid of something
(C) Something that gives off light and looks bright
(D) Something that is meant to be kept unknown to others
(E) Tiny lights in the sky that come out when it’s dark
(F) When something happens that you didn’t think would happen
(G) The time when it is dark outside, and you go to sleep
(H) A friendly white thing that can float and you might see in stories
(I) Being strong and not afraid
(J) Special things that can’t really happen but are fun to imagine
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the small ghost in the story?
(a) Casper
(b) Sparkle
(c) Watson
(d) Robert

2. What did Casper not like?
(a) The dark
(b) The day
(c) The stars
(d) The woods

3. Who did Casper meet in the magic woods?
(a) Watson
(b) Robert
(c) Sparkle
(d) Jones

4. What did Sparkle like?
(a) The day
(b) The dark
(c) The stars
(d) The woods

5. What did Casper and Sparkle do at night?
(a) Play in the day
(b) Look at the sun
(c) Look at stars and go to secret places
(d) Go to school

6. What did Casper’s ghost friends call him?
(a) Brave Casper
(b) Sparkle
(c) Watson
(d) Scaredy Casper

7. What did Casper’s ghost friends want to be?
(a) Scared
(b) Brave
(c) Happy
(d) Sad

8. What did Casper show his ghost friends?
(a) Being scared is fun
(b) Being happy is scary
(c) Being sad is fun
(d) Being brave can make scary things fun

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Sparkle tells Casper about boring things to do at night.
2. Casper and Sparkle have fun looking at stars and going to secret places in the woods.
3. Casper meets a dull bug named Sparkle who likes the dark.
4. Casper tells his ghost friends about his adventures and they want to be brave too.
5. Casper is a small ghost who is scared of the dark.
6. Casper and his ghost friends start avoiding playing and exploring the dark together, and they are still scared.
7. Casper’s ghost friends call him “scaredy Casper” because he is afraid of the night.
8. Casper decides to be cowardly and avoid the dark with Sparkle.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this story in two sentences. Here are some hints:
Who are the main characters?
What happens in the story?

Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who is the main character in the story?
Casper is the main character in the story.

2. What was Casper scared of?
Casper was scared of the dark.

3. Who did Casper meet in the magic woods?
Casper met a shining bug named Sparkle in the magic woods.

4. What did Casper and Sparkle do at night?
Casper and Sparkle looked at stars and went to secret places in the woods at night.

5. How did Casper’s ghost friends feel about the dark?
Casper’s ghost friends were scared of the dark, just like Casper used to be.

6. Why did Casper’s ghost friends start to like the night?
Casper showed his ghost friends that being brave can make scary things fun, so they started to like the night too.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) woods
(2) tried
(3) dark
(4) brave
(5) became
(6) ghost
(7) showed
(8) scary
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. magic
Answer: (J) Special things that can’t really happen but are fun to imagine

2. ghost
Answer: (H) A friendly white thing that can float and you might see in stories

3. scared
Answer: (B) Feeling afraid of something

4. night
Answer: (G) The time when it is dark outside, and you go to sleep

5. shining
Answer: (C) Something that gives off light and looks bright

6. brave
Answer: (I) Being strong and not afraid

7. stars
Answer: (E) Tiny lights in the sky that come out when it’s dark

8. secret
Answer: (D) Something that is meant to be kept unknown to others

9. surprised
Answer: (F) When something happens that you didn’t think would happen

10. thanks
Answer: (A) What you say when someone does something nice for you
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the small ghost in the story?
Answer: (a) Casper

2. What did Casper not like?
Answer: (a) The dark

3. Who did Casper meet in the magic woods?
Answer: (c) Sparkle

4. What did Sparkle like?
Answer: (b) The dark

5. What did Casper and Sparkle do at night?
Answer: (c) Look at stars and go to secret places

6. What did Casper’s ghost friends call him?
Answer: (d) Scaredy Casper

7. What did Casper’s ghost friends want to be?
Answer: (b) Brave

8. What did Casper show his ghost friends?
Answer: (d) Being brave can make scary things fun
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Sparkle tells Casper about boring things to do at night. (Answer: False)
2. Casper and Sparkle have fun looking at stars and going to secret places in the woods. (Answer: True)
3. Casper meets a dull bug named Sparkle who likes the dark. (Answer: False)
4. Casper tells his ghost friends about his adventures and they want to be brave too. (Answer: True)
5. Casper is a small ghost who is scared of the dark. (Answer: True)
6. Casper and his ghost friends start avoiding playing and exploring the dark together, and they are still scared. (Answer: False)
7. Casper’s ghost friends call him “scaredy Casper” because he is afraid of the night. (Answer: True)
8. Casper decides to be cowardly and avoid the dark with Sparkle. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

Three friendly ghosts bring joy and laughter to a lonely boy, teaching him the power of true friendship.

The Three Friendly Ghosts

Three friendly ghosts named Casper, Jasper, and Hester meet a boy named Timmy, and they become best friends and have lots of fun adventures together.

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